


Happy New Year, 1988

by markaleen



Category: Who's the Boss?
Genre: Celebrations, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, New Year's Eve, New York City, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28498914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/markaleen/pseuds/markaleen
Summary: Tony takes Angela to Times Square to ring in the new year. Set in Season 4. Ficlet.
Relationships: Angela Bower/Tony Micelli
Kudos: 5





	Happy New Year, 1988

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 2021!
> 
> A guest reviewer left me with a New Year's prompt and I couldn't resist. Very short and fluffy... but hope it makes you smile :) This was a lot of fun, thank you so much!

"I can't believe I let you drag me here." Angela clung to Tony's arm, afraid to lose him in the ever-growing crowd of Times Square.

Tony only laughed. "You've lived in Connecticut how long and you've never seen the ball drop in person? It's unacceptable, Angela."

"I still think we should be home with the kids. I don't trust Mother not to throw a party while we're gone."

"Ah, they'll be fine. New Year's Eve is meant to get a little crazy."

"Yes, but Mother doesn't just go a little crazy."

Draping his arm around her shoulders, he said, "Stick with me and you'll be fine. Once the countdown starts, you'll forget about everything. Keep walking, we wanna make sure we get a good spot."

She wasn't so sure but had no choice but to follow. The noise of hundreds-thousands of voices pounded into her head made worse by the extra lights being shone. While she wouldn't give Tony the satisfaction of saying so, she could admit once they were away from the immediate crowd that the excitement in the air was invigorating. It'd been an interesting year. Not necessarily bad, but a long one. Between the confusion she felt around Geoffrey's proposal and the resulting breakup, realizing how deeply she feels for Tony, Mona's almost move to the city, weddings, deaths, and realizing how quickly both Jonathan and Samantha have grown up… it was strange how quickly the time had gone by yet it all felt so long she could hardly remember where she was this time last year.

"Here seems as good as any."

She nodded. "Thanks for finding a spot off to the side."

"Someday we'll get you smack dab in the middle of everything. We didn't leave early enough for it this year."

"Thank goodness."

Angela relaxed as time went on, starting to enjoy what bit of conversation they could manage and secretly glad for the chilly night, giving her an excuse to stay snuggled against Tony. When 11:50 hit, they inched as close as they could to the center, Angela's claustrophobic inklings getting lost in the energy of the crowd as they were squished between another few hundred strangers who seemed to appear out of nowhere. At 11:59, the countdown began. Tony's voice stood out among those immediately around them, signs waving all around in case the camera happened by.

Ten seconds… Tony grabbed Angela's hand, thrilled to see and hear her counting with the rest of them.

Three…

Two…

One…

The only thing to be heard was cheering, music, and noisemakers. So many noisemakers. Horns beeped and sirens wailed. Angela had seen it on TV dozens of times but witnessing the uproar firsthand was unlike anything else. She was frightened yet excited, certain above all else her ears would be ringing in the morning.

When Tony turned his attention away from the shining ball and toward Angela, he saw a smile he hadn't seen in far too long. Best of all her eyes were fixed on him rather than the commotion. He wondered how long she'd been staring but didn't muse over it long. Whether it was the way she was looking, the noise, sentiment, or feeling invisible in a crowd of thousands, he felt a sudden jolt of courage. Wrapping an arm around her back once again, he pulled her close, casting his eyes to her lips. He hesitated a moment to see if she pulled back. Not only did she not refuse his advance, but she was also the one to close the distance, flinging her arms around his neck and staying there until 12:01.

"Happy New Year, Tony!" she shouted to him once they parted, smiling even wider than she had been before.

"Happy New Year, Angela!" he beamed.

They held their gaze a moment longer, an unspoken agreement being made to stash this away with their collection of happy secrets as well as to say, "Same time next year."


End file.
